Webster-Roy: Women, Peace and Security plan coming soon

The Ministry of Gender and Child Affairs is expected to present its Women, Peace and Protection National Action Plan in a few weeks.

The revelation came from minister Ayanna Webster-Roy during the opening ceremony for the ministry’s Women’s Village at Saith Park, Chaguanas on August 23.

Although she did not go into details about the plan, she said it would help in the fight against crime. Further details could not be found on the ministry’s website or from its communication personnel by press time. According to media reports, the advisory group was appointed on January 16 but was met with criticism from stakeholders as it did not comprise civil organisations.

Meanwhile, with crime unabated and children falling victim to the scourge, Webster-Roy is called on women to recognise their vital role in society and use it to make a difference in the fight.

“We are facing a battle when it comes to gun violence and gang violence in TT and we have to respond. Respond decisively. Respond positively and…at the front of the response must be the women of TT. We are the ones who cradle society. We give birth to sons and daughters. We are the first to help shape and mould the minds. So if it is that we are going through a battle with gun and gang violence, women we have to stand up. We have to stand up and boldly reclaim TT, not for us now, but for future generations.”

Referring to the unprecedented 20 murders in Tobago in the last eight months, Webster-Roy said now is the time for political division be put aside to allow the country to stand in unity against crime.

“Yes, there are some women in TT that still face abuse, who still face going into a workplace and not getting the right pay for the work, who still face discrimination. But we have to acknowledge in our beautiful land that our women have been advancing. Because we have been advancing, we have to stand up and reclaim this land.”

Commenting on the August 20 murder of five-year-old Anika Guerra, who was shot several times when three gunmen attacked and killed her father Enrico at the family’s Moruga mini-mart, Webster-Roy said children were “bearing the brunt of the irresponsibility of adults.”

“When adults fail to be responsible, when adults fail to do what’s right, not just the adults suffering. We are losing our children. Imagine because of bad decisions made by adults…we could pick up our papers and see that a five-year-old girl would have been shot five times. And we stay quiet as a people? We don’t call each other out?”

The Women’s Village was hosted to help female entrepreneurs to market their businesses and network with other service providers. Some of the entrepreneurs shared the minister’s belief.

Nekesha Greene, 42, said it is important that mothers, who are the traditional nurturers, take the time to understand that the younger generation is different from when they were younger. She said this requires attention to determine the most appropriate parenting methods and would require breaking generational practices.

“We need to come together and try harder to listen, to be an emotional and mental support for future generations.”

Peggy Lynch, 64, agreed but said a mother’s nurturing should extend beyond their own children and to other youths in their community.

She said this is something she does for some of the youths in the community where her business is located, always taking the time to speak with them and often even sharing her fruit with them.

“It’s a return to the village raising the children. Some of them (youths in general) are afraid of us. Some of them think all we do is look at them and criticise them.”

She said because of the relationship she has forged with the youth in her community, they would always look out for her best interest.

Angelica Harkoo also agreed with Webster-Roy, but said the responsibility to influence change should not fall solely to women but everyone in society. With children being unintentional victims of crime in mind, she added mothers also need to know when to put their children’s safety above their own relationships.

“Our children are getting caught up in things that adults would have put them into those situations. I think, especially as parents, especially as women, we need to be more careful who we are around and the company that we keep. You know, sometimes people are involved in certain things and yes, it is a relative, yes, it is a friend and maybe somebody that you grew up with and it may be very hard to step away, because I’ve known this person all my life…but at the end of the day it comes back down to your children, because your children are the ones being affected.”

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